Sunday, January 27, 2013

Bishop Mccort High School - Friar Accused Of Abuse In 2 States Kills Self - News

PHILADELPHIA (AP) A Franciscan friar accused regarding sexually maltreating students at Catholic large universities with Ohio plus Pennsylvania killed themselves in the european Pennsylvania monastery, police said Saturday.

Brother Stephen Baker, 62, ended up being located lifeless of an self-inflicted knife wound in the St. Bernardine Monastery in Hollidaysburg about Saturday morning, Blair Township Police Chief Roger White said. He declined that will express whether a please note ended up being found.

Baker seemed to be named in authorized negotiations a week ago including 11 gentlemen that alleged that your dog sexually mistreated them at a Catholic graduating around northeast Ohio three decades ago. The undisclosed personal funds announced Jan. 16 included his phone with individuals with John F. Kennedy High School with Warren, Ohio from 1986-90.

The Youngstown diocese in the past explained it absolutely was unmindful regarding the allegations right until just about thirty several years following on from the alleged abuse.

"Let people carry on to pray for all sufferers involving abuse, with regard to Brother Baker's family as well as the repose of his soul," Youngstown Bishop George Murry said in a report Saturday.

After that debt settlements ended up announced, the actual Altoona-Johnstown Diocese in central Pennsylvania claimed it obtained problems inside 2011 with feasible neglect by means of Baker at Bishop McCort High School with Johnstown, concerning 60 kilometer after kilometer east of Pittsburgh.

Bishop McCort High School appointed an attorney to check out after numerous original scholars alleged we were looking at molested by means of Baker while in the 1990s. Attorney Susan Williams explained three an old pupils had talked in order to her in more detail within the alleged abuse.

Baker taught in addition to coached at John F. Kennedy High School in the overdue eighties era in addition to first 1990's along with had been at Bishop McCort from 1992-2000.

Bishop Mark Bartchak with the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese reported within a assertion that he / she was saddened because of the announcement involving Baker's death, but rejected further remark citing pending legal action concerning the particular diocese.

A meaning kept with regard to Father Patrick Quinn, the particular head with Baker's order, your Third Order Regular Franciscans, has not been promptly returned.

Judy Jones, assistant Midwest director with the Survivors Network of these Abused by way of Priests, stated the business however hopes people who be informed on other abuse allegations alongside Baker could go on in the future forward.

"We feel seasonal affective disorder for Br. Baker's friends and family but possibly sadder for your plenty of traders who seem to Baker assaulted," she explained within a statement.